Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington and former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler have verbally agreed to fight each other at UFC Fight Night 156 which will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark on August 3.

As great as this match-up is, it has taken MMA fans by surprise as it was widely assumed that Covington was in line for a title shot against current champion Kamaru Usman. The former interim champ Covington finally explained to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that UFC needed a main event on short notice, thus how the fight was made.

However, current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman released a statement to Brett Okamoto of ESPN.

Statement from UFC champ Kamaru Usman (@USMAN84kg), per his manager Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00). “I should be ready to go by November. Whoever Dana White says is next. He’s the boss. If Askren looks good and that’s who the UFC wants, he’s next.”

Statement from UFC champ Kamaru Usman, per his manager Ali Abdelaziz. “I should be ready to go by November. Whoever Dana White says is next. He’s the boss. If Askren looks good and that’s who the UFC wants, he’s next.”

Kamaru Usman last fought against Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 in Las Vegas in March earlier this year. He defeated Woodley by a unanimous decision to become the new UFC welterweight champion. Usman has a professional record of 15-1 with his sole loss coming to Jose Caceras at CFA 11 back in 2013. So far he is undefeated in the UFC.